The present invention relates to a protector for fixing a wire harness in which, for example, a wire harness covered with a corrugated tube is fixed.
When a plurality of pieces of wire harness are drawn around in the same route, it is common to use a protector so that the plurality of pieces of wire harness, which are gathered into one body or covered with a corrugated tube after having been gathered, can be protected by the protector for the prevention of damage caused by the contact with other members arranged close to the wire harness. As shown in FIG. 8, Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-88131 discloses a related structure of this type protector for fixing the wire harness.
As shown in FIG. 8, there is provided a harness accommodation chamber 2 in a protector body 1. An opened face of this harness accommodation chamber 2 can be opened and closed by a cover 3 connected to the protector body 1 via a hinge 1a. On the harness accommodation chamber 2 side of the protector body 1, there is provided a guide groove 1b. A pair of spacers 4a, 4b are insertable into this guide groove 1b. A semicircular notch 5 is formed in each of the pair of spacers 4a, 4b. Outside the protector body 1, there is provided an engaging protrusion 6. In a portion of the cover 3, there is formed an engaging hole 7.
In the above structure, the lower spacer 4b is inserted into the guide groove 1b of the protector body 1. Then, wire harness 9 covered with a corrugated tube 8 is inserted into the wire harness accommodation chamber 2. At this time, the wire harness 9 covered with the corrugated tube 8 is arranged in the notch 5 of the lower spacer 4b. Then, the upper spacer 4a is inserted into the guide groove 1b of the protector body 1, and the wire harness 9 covered with the corrugated tube 8 is arranged in the notch 5 of the upper spacer 4a. When the cover 3 is rotated in the direction of an arrow R and set at a closed position, the engaging protrusion 6 enters the engaging hole 7 and is locked. When the locked cover 3 restricts movements of the spacers 4a, 4b, the wire harness 9 can be fixed.
As shown in FIG. 9, Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-133094 discloses another related example. In the structure, a protector body 1 and a cover 3 connected thereto by a hinge 1a are respectively formed into an L-shape, and a harness accommodation chamber 2 is composed inside the protector body 1. In the protector body 1, there is formed an engaging hole 7. On the cover 3, there is provided an engaging protrusion 6.
In the above structure, when a bundle of pieces of wire harness (not shown) or a plurality of pieces of wire harness covered a corrugated tube (not shown) are inserted into the wire harness accommodation chamber 2 and the cover 3 is rotated in the direction of arrow R and set at the closed position, the engaging protrusion 6 is made to get into the engaging hole 7 and locked. The wire harness is fixed when movements thereof are restricted by the inner faces of the protector body 1 and the cover 3.
Still another related example of a structure of a protector for fixing a wire harness is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-88131 as shown in FIG. 10. In this figure, there is formed a harness accommodation chamber 2 in a protector body 1. On the harness accommodation chamber 2 side, there is formed a guide groove 1b. A pair of spacers 4a, 4b are inserted into the guide groove 1b. In each of the pair of spacers 4a, 4b, there is formed a semicircular notch 5. Outside the protector body 1, there is formed an engaging hole 7. In the upper spacer 4a, there is provided an engaging protrusion (not shown).
In the above structure, the lower spacer 4b is inserted into the guide groove 1b of the protector body 1. Then, the wire harness 9 covered with a corrugated tube 8 is inserted into the harness accommodation chamber 2. Next, the upper spacer 4a is inserted into the guide groove 1b of the protector body 1. Due to the foregoing, the wire harness 9 is gradually arranged in the notches of the pair of spacers 4a, 4b. At the same time, the engaging protrusion of the upper spacer 4a engages with the engaging hole 7 and is locked. When the engaging protrusion is locked by the engaging hole 7, movements of the pair of spacers 4a, 4b are restricted and thereby the wire harness 9 can be fixed.
However, the following problems may be encountered in the above related structures. Movements of the wire harness 9 covered with the corrugated tube 8 are restricted by the spacers 4a, 4b. Alternatively, movements of the wire harness 9 covered with the corrugated tube 8 are restricted by the inner faces of the protector body 1 and the cover 3. For the above reasons, only a corrugated tube 8, the diameter of which is predetermined, and only pieces of wire harness 9, the entire diameter of which is predetermined, can be fixed by the above related structures. Accordingly, it is necessary to change the protector according to the diameter of the corrugated tube 8 or the wire harness 9. Alternatively, it is necessary to change the spacers 4a, 4b, the diameters of the notches 5 of which are different.
In the related structures, when the corrugated tube 8 or the wire harness 9 is given an external force, this external force acts on the cover 3 and the spacer 4a. Accordingly, the cover 3 is deflected and deformed by the external force given to the corrugated tube 8 and the wire harness 9, and the engaging protrusion 6 is disengaged from the engaging hole 7. In this case, there is a possibility that the cover 3 is disconnected from the protector body.